Chair.



No; 694,457. Patented Mar. 4, I902.

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I (Application flled July 10, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheaf 4.

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No. 694,457. Patented Mar 4, 1902.

o. BEARD)SLEY.

(Application is July 10, 1899.\

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS L. BEARDSLEY, OF AUSTIN, ILLINOIS.

CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,457, dated March 4,1902.

Application filed July 10, 1899.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, Orxs L. BEARDSLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Austin, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement'in Chairs, (Case No. 2,)of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to a chair, and more particularly to a chair of thekind known to the trade as iron chairs, of which the framework-that is,the legs, rounds, and back are made of iron or steel rods or heavy-wire,usually twisted together.

My object is to produce a strong chair of graceful design which will becheap to manufacture and which will permit the legs to be readilydetached and folded together into small compass for shipment.

In accordance with my invention the legs of the chair, which arepreferably made of U-shaped pieces or loops of wire twisted together,are detachably secured to the seat portion and a separate brace isprovided, forming. the rounds, to which the legs are fastened in such amanner that when detached from the seat they may be folded togetherabout the brace as upon a hinge until they are all approximately in oneplane. It will be appreciated that this flattened form will take up verylittle room in shipment as compared with the space that would otherwisebe occupied. It will also be seenthat the legs are continuouslydouble-stranded from top to bottom and are reinforced by the brace.

My invention will be more particularly described by reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a perspective view of achair constructed in accordance with myinvention, and Fig. 2 is a planview showing the legs and brace detached from the rest of the chair andfolded together in a convenient fiat form for shipment.

Each of thefour legs of the chair is formedof a single loop of iron rodor heavy wire twistedtogether, the free ends being formed into eyes a a.Each leg may then be secured to the seat B of the chair by bolts 0 cpassing through these eyes a a. Each leg is so twisted as to besymmetrical, and the ends of the loop of wire which forms the leg areadapted to be Serial No. 723,255. (No model.)

fastened to the seat adjacent to one another, as shown. About midwaybetween the top and bottom of the legs is provided the square brace d,which is preferably made of a single piece of wire bent in the form of asquare, with projecting loops at its four corners which are linked intothe four twisted legs a a, respectively, the ends of the wire formingthe brace being preferably brazed or welded together to form acontinuous or endless piece. The engagement between the loops at thecorners of the square brace and the legs ofthe chair is firm, so thatthe brace will be effective and will not permit the chair to wabble. Theparticular advantage of this construction will, however, be seen mostreadily by reference toFig. 2, which shows the legs of the chairdetached from the seat and folded together. 7 This folding isaccomplished by simply turning each leg upon the looped end of the braceas upona hinge, so that the upper ends of the legs occupy the center ofthe chair and the outer ends thereof radiate from the corners thereof,forming a star-shaped figure. It will be apparent that the partsillustrated in Fig. 2 may thus be packed in much less space than wouldbe required if they were rigidly held in their normal positions. Thelegs also are thus made continuously doublestranded from top to bottomand are additionally strengthened by the loops of the brace.

It will be apparent that my invention is capable of modification, andchairs constructed in accordance therewith may be given widelydifferentforms, which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in theart. I do not therefore desire to be understood as limiting myself tothe precise construction shown; but,

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following: I

1. As a new article of manufacture, a chair comprisin ga seat I),detachable legs on a formed of twisted loops of wire,the ends of thewire forming each leg or loop being adapted to be attached to the seatadjacent to one another, and a brace d having loops in which the twistedlegs are linked, whereby the said legs, when detached from the seat, maybe folded together about said brace into a star-shaped plane figure,substantially as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a chair when detached from the seat,may be folded 1o comprisingaseatb,detachablelegsaaformed together aboutsaid loop into a plane, subof loops of heavy wire twisted together, thestantially as set forth.

ends of the wire forming each leg or loop be- In witness whereof Ihereunto subscribe my 5 ing symmetrical and adapted to be attached namethis 6th day of July, A. D. 1899.

to the seat adjacent to one another, and a OTIS L. BEARDSLEY.

brace d of wire in the shape of a polygon, said Witnesses:

brace having loops at its corners in which GEORGE P. BARTON,

the twisted legs are linked, whereby the legs, 1 DE WITT C. TANNER.

